Prophet Hud (as) is one of those messengers who is described, along with his message, in the Qur'an. Sent a messenger to the people of 'Ad, Prophet Hud (as) announced to the people that he was a trustworthy emissary dispatched by Allah and called on them to fear Him. The message of Prophet Hud (as) is reported in these words:

And to 'Ad We sent their brother Hud, who said, "My people, worship Allah! You have no other god than Him. So will you not guard against evil?" (Surat al-A'raf: 65)

Prophet Hud Expected No Recompense

As can be seen from the lives of all the prophets related in the Qur'an, spending one's life preaching the message to others and expectating no reward from them is an important feature of a believer. No matter where or among whom a believer may live, he is responsible for calling on people to adhere to the moral values that Allah approves of and for reminding them of the Day of Judgment that is fast approaching them. Therefore, the believer expects no recompense from anyone, and seeks merely to fulfill his obligations in the best manner possible so as to obtain the approval of Allah. Prophet Hud (as) exhibited just such a moral virtue, emphasizing that he expected no recompense for having called his tribe to adhere to religious obedience. This fact is revealed in the Qur'an in these words:

"My people! I do not ask you for any wage for it. My wage is the responsibility of Him Who brought me into being. So will you not use your intellect?" (Surah Hud: 51)

He Warned His People of Retribution

Prophet Hud (as) warned his people to serve only Allah, or else He would inflict retribution upon them. This warning issued by Prophet Hud (as) is reported thus in one verse:

Remember the brother of 'Ad when he warned his people by the sand-dunes—and warners passed away before and after him— "Worship no one but Allah. I fear for you the punishment of a terrible Day." (Surat al-Ahqaf: 21)

Along with warning his people of coming retribution, Prophet Hud (as) also reminded them that the material things they valued in the life of this world were only transitory. His message on this subject to his people, preoccupied as they were with the attractions of this world, is reported as follows:

"Do you build a tower on every hilltop, just to amuse yourselves, and construct great fortresses, hoping to live forever?" (Surat ash-Shu'ara': 128-129)

After this, he reminded his people to fear Allah, to abide by His stipulations, and not treat others tyrannically. Otherwise, as he warned them, torment might be inflicted upon them. This warning by Prophet Hud (as) is reported thus in verses:

"And when you attack, attack as tyrants do? So have fear of Allah and obey me. Have fear of Him who has supplied you with what you know, supplied you with livestock and children and gardens and clear springs. I fear for you the punishment of a terrible Day." (Surat ash-Shu'ara': 130-135)

Prophet Hud (as) Reminded His People of Allah's Blessings

It is impossible even to count the number of blessings bestowed by Allah on human beings. (Surat an-Nahl: 18) Yet most people never consider that Almighty Allah bestows all these blessings upon them and that they should therefore give thanks to Him. Neither do they ever think that Allah can take back these blessings at any moment He so chooses. For that reason, the prophets reminded those peoples to whom they were sent to turn to Allah, that everything they possessed was a blessing from Him and that they should give thanks to Him. The Qur'an reveals how Prophet Hud (as) reminded his people of the many blessings imparted by Allah and how they should fear Him and avoid His wrath:

"Or are you astonished that a reminder should come to you from your Lord by way of a man among you in order to warn you? Remember when He appointed you successors to the people of Nuh, and increased you greatly in stature. Remember Allah's blessings, so that hopefully you will be successful." (Surat al-A'raf: 69)
Prophet Hud (as) also called on his people to seek Allah's forgiveness. He told them that if they repented and sought shelter in Allah, He would in turn increase their blessings. This wise message of Prophet Hud (as) is reported as follows in one verse:

"My people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send heaven down to you in abundant rain, and increase you with strength upon strength. Do not turn away as evildoers." (Surah Hud: 52)

The Submission of Prophet Hud (as)

Despite all the warnings, his people still opposed Prophet Hud (as) and refused to follow the path to which he had called them. Also, like all deniers throughout the course of history, they asked their prophet to perform miracles, saying that otherwise they would not believe:

They said, "Hud, you have not brought us any clear sign. We will not forsake our gods for what you say. We do not believe you." (Surah Hud: 53)

At this, verses tell us that Prophet Hud (as) had nothing to do with their ascription of partners to Allah, stating that he had no fear of the traps they would set for him:

. . . He said, "I call on Allah to be my witness, and you also bear witness, that I am free of all the gods you have apart from Him. So scheme against me, all of you together, and then grant me no respite." (Surah Hud: 54-55)

As a holy prophet, Prophet Hud (as) stated that Allah had created all things, that He would protect His genuine servants, and that for that reason, he submitted to Him. With a great determination of faith, therefore, he expressed the feeling of confidence that he felt in Allah, that all the slanders against him and the snares laid for him would come to nothing. The words of Prophet Hud (as) are reported in the Qur'an:

"I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock. My Lord is on a Straight Path." (Surah Hud: 56)

The Fate of the People of 'Ad

Despite this message that Prophet Hud (as) communicated to his people with such great effort, they refused to abide by religious moral values and persisted in their denials.

As revealed in verses, like every people that failed to abide by religious values, Allah inflicted retribution on the people of 'Ad for failing to heed the call of Prophet Hud (as), and inflicted losses on them both in this world and in the Hereafter. The fate that met the people of 'Ad is revealed thus in the Qur'an:

That was 'Ad. They denied the Signs of their Lord and disobeyed His Messengers and followed the command of every obdurate tyrant. They were pursued by a curse in this world and on the Day of Resurrection. Yes indeed! 'Ad rejected their Lord, so away with 'Ad, the people of Hud! (Surah Hud: 59-60)

'Ad were destroyed by a savage howling wind. (Surat al-Haqqa: 6)

This retribution visited upon the people of 'Ad is one of the instances wisely cited in the Qur'an so that readers and listeners may appreciate the severity of Allah's judgments. Like Prophet Hud (as), all the blessed prophets have called on people to abide by religious moral values. That call applies as much to people today as it did to those peoples of bygone times to whom it was made. The fundamental truths of faith and morals communicated by Allah's prophets must constitute the basic elements of our lives today.

They are the ones to whom We gave the Book, Judgment and Prophethood. If these people reject it, We have already entrusted it to a people who did not. They are the ones Allah has guided, so be guided by their guidance. . . . (Surat al-An'am: 89-90)

EXAMPLES TO LIVING FOSSILS:

SALMON HEAD

Age: 1.8 million to 11,000 years old

Size: 15.2 centimeters (6 in) by 8.6 centimeters (3.4 in)

Location: Kamloops River, British Columbia

Period: Pleistocene

Fossils of salmon have been found at many geological levels, and all are identical to salmon alive today. Every fossil that is discovered refutes Darwinists and prove that salmon, like other living species, have never changed.

GINKGO LEAF

Age:54 to 37 million years old

Size: Leaf, 5 centimeters (2 in) by 5.8 centimeters (2.3 in)

Location: British Columbia

Formation: Cache Creek Formation

Period: Eocene

Fossil discoveries clearly disprove the claims regarding the evolution of plant species. One of these discoveries is of a 54- to 37-million-year-old fossil ginkgo leaf. Ginkgo trees that grew tens of millions of years ago are identical to those growing today.

THE NAMES OF ALLAH:

AR-RAHMAN AR-RAHIM The All-Merciful And The Most Merciful

He is Allah - there is no god but Him. He is the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible. He is the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful. (Qur'an, 59: 22)

The infinite compassion and favor of Allah, the All-Merciful, is represented in everything, visible or not. It is these, visible and invisible, blessings that allow man to survive. Allah's mercy is everywhere.

For instance, it is Allah who every day causes billions of seeds to sprout up from under the ground, who covers the whole planet, with its internal temperature of 4,500 degrees, with fertile soil, who causes tons of life-giving water to fall from the sky, who at the same time provides food for all the billions of living things all over the world, who creates the oxygen that fills our lungs every minute, and surrounds the countless things He has created with life-giving blessings.

It is Allah who creates every single one of the 100 trillion cells in the human body, who teaches each one its own duties, who places the DNA that contains 1 million pages of information in each one, who has the whole system constructed by protein, fat and water molecules that he squeezed into an area much smaller than a millimeter across, and uses these to give life to man and allow him to survive. From the moment they are born until they return to the soil, people know and recognize only the blessings bestowed upon them by Allah, and live thanks to them.

In the same way that some people see these blessings, understand the purpose behind their creation and serve Allah, there are others who are ungrateful and turn their backs on Him. Despite this, Allah still manifests His attribute of All-Merciful in the most supreme way. Those who disbelieve still benefit from the air they breathe, the water they drink, and all the visible and invisible blessings in the life of this world. Allah gives them possessions, the nice houses they live in, and children to continue their lines, just as He does to believers. He gives them good provisions, too. He gives them health, strength and beauty. That is a manifestation of His attribute of the All-Merciful.

Allah allows unbelievers to benefit from such things in the hope that maybe they will turn to religion, come to their reason and give thanks. Yet it must not be forgotten that those who turn their backs on Allah's verses will only be able to enjoy His blessings in this world. In the hereafter, all blessings will only belong to the faithful who use the favors given them by Allah in order to draw closer to Him, seek His good pleasure and give thanks. This is a manifestation of Allah's attribute of the Most Merciful.

THE EVOLUTION DECEIT:

The Features of Even A Single Molecule Are Enough to Demolish the Theory of Evolution

Thrombin is a protein that clots the blood. Although it is always present in the bloodstream, it does not cause the constantly flowing blood to congeal. Clotting is necessary only when there is leakage—that is, bleeding—from a blood vessel. If thrombin were to perform its function at all times, then all the blood in the body would solidify because of the protein thrombin, and the organism in question would die.

How is it, therefore, that inanimate atoms could have produced this protein that stops bleeding and also have produced this protein's features of so that it does not harm the living organism? Unconscious atoms could not have produced mechanisms requiring such progressive, detailed and magnificent knowledge. Of course, it is Almighty God Who creates all these abilities.

Blood Cells Capable of Differentiating between Useful and Harmful Substances

Blood as it flows through the capillaries collects waste products from the cells. It carries them to the kidneys, where these substances are filtered out. The carbon dioxide produced as a byproduct of cells is carried by the blood to the lungs, and from there it is expelled from the body.

The red blood cells in the veins and arteries are able to differentiate between useful and harmful substances in an exceedingly aware manner, and are well aware which gasses they must deposit where. For example, they never carry harmful gasses to the kidneys or waste products to the lungs. Neither do they take waste products to organs requiring nourishment. The manner that blood cells perform their functions without ever making a mistake or suffering any confusion or delays indicates that a supreme Consciousness controls, supervises and organizes them. It is evident that it is the Almighty God Who bestows all these characteristics on the blood and creates a perfect circulatory system.

THE SIGNS LEADING TO FAITH :

The Equilibrium in the Explosion

The explosive vigour of the universe is thus matched with almost unbelievable accuracy to its gravitating power. The big bang was not evidently, any old bang, but an explosion of exquisitely arranged magnitude. Paul Davies, Professor of Theoretical Physics (Paul Davies, Superforce: The Search for a Grand Unified Theory of Nature, 1984, p. 184)

It is estimated that there are over 300 billion galaxies in the whole universe. These galaxies have a number of different forms (spiral, elliptical, etc) and each contains about as many stars as the universe contains galaxies. One of these stars, the Sun, has eight major planets rotating around in it in great harmony. All of us live on the third of those planets counting from the sun.

Does what you see appear to be a disordered jumble of matter haphazardly scattered this way and that? Of course not. But how could matter have formed organized galaxies if it had been dispersed randomly? Why has matter accumulated at certain points and formed stars? How could the delicate balance of our solar system have emerged from a violent explosion? These are very important questions and they lead us to the real question of how the universe was structured after the Big Bang.

If the Big Bang was indeed a such cataclysmic explosion then it is reasonable to expect that matter should have been scattered everywhere at random. And yet it is not. Instead it is organized into planets, and stars, and galaxies, and clusters of galaxies, and superclusters of galaxies. It is as if a bomb that exploded in a granary caused all the wheat to fall into neat sacks and bales on the backs of trucks ready to be delivered instead of showering the grains every which way. Fred Hoyle, a staunch opponent of the Big Bang theory for years, expressed his own surprise at this structure:

The big bang theory holds that the universe began with a single explosion. Yet as can be seen below, an explosion merely throws matter apart, while the big bang has mysteriously produced the opposite effect- with matter clumping together in the form of galaxies. (Fred Hoyle, The Intelligent Universe, London, 1984, p. 184-18) The occurrence of such a harmony leads us to the realization that the universe was the result of its perfect creation by Allah.

Your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then settled Himself firmly on the Throne. He covers the day with the night and, each pursuing the other urgently; and the sun and moon and stars are subservient to His command. Both creation and command belong to Him. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all worlds. (Surat al-Araf: 54)

BOOK OF THE DAY:

The Courage of the Faithful

In this book, we will explore the subject of courage, an important part of sublime morality of Islam. We will explain the true meaning of courage, as defined in the Qur'an, and, at the same time, examine how it is often misunderstood. We will compare the type of courage outlined in the Qur'an with this misinterpreted conception. Later, we will look at examples of the evil type of courage to which Satan incites people. Finally, we will offer examples of the courage of the prophets, and of pious believers, as recounted in the Qur'an.

The Qur'an is the word of God and it has many miraculous attributes proving this fact. One of these attributes is the fact that a number of scientific truths that we have only been able to uncover by the technology of the 20th century were stated in the Qur'an 1,400 years ago. Of course the Qur'an is not a book of science. However, many scientific facts that are expressed in an extremely concise and profound manner in its verses have only been discovered with the technology of the 20th century. These facts could not have been known at the time of the Qur'an's revelation, and this is still more proof that the Qur'an is the word of God.